John Hart Generating Station Replacement

John Hart Generating Station has been operating since 1947. We're upgrading it to modern standards, a $1 billion project.

What's new

Construction is nearing completion, with all the water flow equipment operational as of November 2018. This includes the three turbines and generators, the automated water bypass facility, and the low level outlet works below the John Hart Dam. The final touches on the project will go into 2019. The old facility, which was permanently shut down in October 2018, will be removed by summer 2019.

Woodstave Road, just off Brewster Lake Road by Highway 28, is and will be the permanent access road leading to Elk Falls Provincial Park. It terminates at a parking lot where there is an interpretive centre and trail that leads to the Elk Falls suspension bridge.

Built in 1947, John Hart Generating Station is aging, and needs to be replaced.

The existing facility and pipelines are unlikely to withstand a moderate earthquake. A new facility will benefit from years of learning about seismic safety.

The existing generating station is also in poor condition. Partly because of that poor condition, electricity output from the generating station is declining. A new facility with new equipment will be more efficient and more reliable.

95% of the lower Campbell River comes out of the John Hart Generating Station. A new water bypass will ensure that if we need to shut down the facility for any reason, water flow can be maintained for fish and fish habitat.

Hiking trails and suspension bridge

It's not just a more efficient, reliable facility that's coming to Campbell River as part of the John Hart project. The project also supports the creation of a number of local community amenities, including:

A John Hart Project Interpretive Centre, staffed through an agreement with the Museum at Campbell River, located at the new parking lot that tells the story of the project and the watershed's history.

Construction of the Station View Trail, which allows safe access through the John Hart construction site and continued hiking around Campbell River via connections to the Canyon View and Millennium Trails.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

In 1946, a portion of Elk Falls Provincial Park was set aside for construction of the John Hart hydroelectric project. That means that the replacement project that is now underway is surrounded by the park.

Park boundaries needed to be adjusted to allow for the construction. This required an Act of the provincial Legislature, which was finalized at the end of March 2013.

We’re committed to making Elk Falls Provincial Park bigger after the replacement project is complete. Once construction is done, some BC Hydro land beside the park boundaries will be transferred to BC Parks.